Everyone has different working styles. Some people love to work in groups and break up tasks so everyone has a little chunk of the cheese. Others would rather take on the entire project themselves. Whatever it is, as an employer it is essential that you recognize your employees' varied working styles and facilitate their needs in order to maximize their efficiency.
Dr. Shelley Provost describes what she thinks are the four unique working styles in her article on Inc.com.
Doers Some people just execute. Whether it's a project, or changing the water container, they thrive in finishing tasks quickly. However, doers often overlook the essential task of planning. For this reason, they may make some mistakes in their work.
Leaders There are other employees who have visions and know how to effectively communicate these visions to others. These are the leaders. Leaders know how to inspire and get others on the bandwagon. Unfortunately, leaders can sometimes be so focused on communicating their vision that they forget about those who are actually paying attention.
Lovers Lovers find their strength in relationships. As sensitive and empathetic as lovers are, they often fall short on detail-oriented work. Although they are great at making others feel good, lovers can struggle to produce solid work.
Learners The brains of the operations, Learners must know and understand everything flawlessly. However, they struggle to put this knowledge into action. These disciplined learners know what needs to be done; they just sometimes lag in actually getting around to accomplishing these tasks.
By now, my point is clear. In order for productivity to be at an all time high, people with complementary skill sets should be grouped together in the workplace. This way, the Doers can compliment the Learners, and the Lovers can inspire the Leaders. A well-crafted team with various types of workers is much more capable than a team composed of randomly chosen employees. As an employer, observe the work habits of your employees and facilitate their needs. By doing so, you can drive efficiency and boost productivity in your organization.
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